So It Goes may refer to:
- a British music programme hosted by Tony Wilson
- a recurring refrain in Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five
- a song by Nick Lowe from Jesus of Cool
- a song by The Verve from A Northern Soul
- an amateur music blog

Monday, August 04, 2008

My belated coverage of Lollapalooza 2008

Despite my best intentions, blogging during Lollapalooza didn't quite work out. I had neither the resources nor the time, and iPhone blogging just isn't practical. Sorry 'bout that but better late than never. So here's a quick photographic rundown of the fest.

Other comments, highlights, notes...

Other than those mentioned in the slide show, I also saw/heard:
- Gogol Bordello (listened to during eating, resting)
- Battles (kick ass)
- Toadies (not very good but did sing Backslider!!)
- White Lies (first I'd heard of 'em)
- The Whigs (decent)
- Iron & Wine (perfect soundtrack to my afternoon chill)
- Flogging Molly
- Love & Rockets (Keith Richards look-alike, otherwise blah)
- About half of the NIN set. The band was tight but the sound was too low and I could hear Kanye calling all the way from the other side of Grant Park. The NIN light show was the best of the fest, and so were Trent's arms. Damn, he is definitely on the juice. I did get to hear a nostalgic rendition of 'Closer,' so I went away satisfied.

Random memories...
- Playing bean bag toss with a couple of Tennessee kids in the shade.
- The perfect weather and the perfect environment. Conditions are much better than ACL.
- Buses running all day with A/C on full blast for those requiring some refuge.
- Three kids jumping into Buckingham Fountain at the end of Day 3. A huge crowd gathered to cheer 'em on. Around ten cops eventually coerced them off the fountain, put the poor schmucks in handcuffs and walked them to the paddy wagon. Ridiculous.
- On Sunday morning, I enjoyed one of the best breakfast experiences of my life. So if you're ever in Chicago, I beg you, go to the Eleventh Street Diner, 1100 S. Wabash.
- I somehow did not get sunburned. It's a miracle.

Regrets...
- Couldn't make it to the aftershow with Broken Social Scene and Yeasayer. If I had known that would happen, I would have made sure to catch the BSS set at Lolla. Oh well, they are coming to the Twin Cities in October.
- In a perfect world, I would have liked to have seen Grizzly Bear, Girl Talk and BSS but really, I can't say there were any real regrets on bands choices.

Other Lolla coverage worth a read...Check this out for details on the Rage Against the Machine mayhem up in the front.

Final thoughts...
Radiohead is my painfully obvious choice for best show of fest. The trippy LED light show was mesmerizing, but the most memorable moment was pure serendipity; a coincidental firework display went off behind the stage for an unrelated Chicago event. Fireworks started going off during 'Everything in its Right Place' and the grand finale seemed to sync right up with the climax of 'Fake Plastic Trees.' It was surreal. All in all, a nice setlist. They played the entirety of In Rainbows and some choice cuts from back catalog. Highlights included a new jazzier take on 'The Gloaming' and the 2nd Encore killer combo of '2+2=5' and 'Idioteque.' It was an exhausting but wonderful show.

the highlight of my weekend was seeing you for half a set at mason... oh, and the beer I bought you while waiting for radiohead, but couldn't deliver so I drank it all myself while teasing you the whole time that I was drinking your beer and then having to make it all the way back to the bathrooms mid-radiohead because I drank too many beers while waiting. did you put voodoo on me to make pee?

if I would have known you weren't going to the BSS/Yeasayer show then I would have tried harder to convince my mate to join us and try and scalp.

oh, why didn't you post my pic of Perry Farrell on your site?... that was definitely my highlight of the weekend. Especially seeing Slash and Perry play 'Knockin' on Heaven's door' and 'Mountain Summer' at Kidzapalooza.

Yeah, missing the aftershow was a stupid move but I was by myself (thanks, jayflyer!) and tired as all hell. I did actually try but had trouble catching a cab, too. Sad excuse, but true nonetheless. Oh well...BSS in October and I've seen Yeasayer plenty of times.

Agreed!! Definite highlight was the beer that never was from jayflyer, and his taunting me with it from a distance. After about four hours in that same spot in the sun, a beer woulda been perfect, too!